Theatrical appliance.



No. 869,145. PATENTED OCT. 22. 1907. G. SCHNEIDER. THBATRIGAL APPLIANGE. APPLICATION FILED no 19, 1906 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

&5%7'. E.

y I Snow-do:

HHHI

f il Hum n..

MRI

Winn/am:

THE NORRIS PEIERS cm. WASHINGTON. a. c.

PATENTED OCT. 22. 1907.

G. SCHNEIDER.

THEATRIGAL APPLIANGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 1Q, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

umac/ans 1n: NORRIS PETERS ca, wAsl-lmcrrcw, n. c.

UNTTED STATS PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE SCHNEIDER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEON A. FERRANDINI, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

THEATRICAL APPLIANCE.

Application filed eo mbe 1 1905- Speeification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may co'nccm:

Be it known that I, GEORGE Scnnnrnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Theatrical Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a theatrical appliance and has particular reference to a convertible chair and reversible table or stand.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which may be employed as a scenical device such as a chair and readily converted into a stand or table the opposite sides of which may both be utilized; one at a time to produce different effects by simply reversing the stand or table. The device is particularly .designed for quick transformation acts in which the entire scene is almost instantly changed.

In the present instance the device is constructed so as to produce three different articles of furniture, such for example as a stand with a sewing machine lLlIOI'OOIL a stand on which a typewriter is mounted and a chair. The construction and arrangement of the device .is such as to permit of only one article of furniture being disclosed to the audience at a time.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,*

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the device as a sew ing machine and stand but portions of the curtains of which have been broken away to show the chair mecln anism. Fig 2 is a side elevation of the device as it appears when converted into a typewriter and stand. Fig. 3, illustrates a front elevation of the device converted into a chair. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the device. Fig. 6 shows an enlarged sectional detail through the back, seat and upper end of the base of the chair to illustrate the spring device for throwing the.

seat down and the catch and trip device for holding said seat up. Fig. 7 illustrates a rear elevation of a portion of the chair back and the catch and trip device. Fig. 8 illustrates a detail side elevation of the bracket and reversible table device at the rear of the chair back, and Fig. 9, shows a detail of the locking plate for holding the table in the horizontal position. 7

Referring to the drawings, the numeral, 1., designates a metal base having a socket, 2, in which a stem, 3, seats. This stem 'in the present instance is provided with a cavity, 4, at its upper end through which a pin, 5, extends horizontally. A back, 6, is sustained by the stand in any suitable manner while a seat, 7, is pivotally carried by the base and is provided on its bottom with a spring, 8, which acts to throw the seat down or horizontally when the latter is released. A slot, 9, is provided in the back (see Figs. 6 and 7) and a trip-latch, 10, is pivoted to said back and adjacent the slot, while a trip rod, 11, extends upwardly from the latch so as to be conveniently operated from the upper end of the back. i

A pawl, 12, is carried on the seat, 7, and when the latter is raised the pawl projects through the slot. 9, and is engaged by the latch, 10. so as to hold the seat up against the action of the spring, 8. It will be seen that by pulling up on the rod, 1], the seat will drop to a horizontal position.

A plate, 13, is rigidly secured to the back, (3, of the chair and said plate supports a horizontally-projecting rod, 14. This plate is provided with perforations, 35, at diametrically opposite sides of the rod which perforations are employed as locking recesses for a purpose presently to be described.

A table or flat plate, 15, is reversibly mounted on the rod, .14, so as to be swung from a horizontal position above the rod to a horizontal position below the said rod. The particular manner of attaching the table to the rod or Qfsustaining the table with respect to the chair back is not material as various devices may be employed for this purpose, but in the present instance suitable perforated plates or clips, 16, are fitted on the rod and are also secured to one side of the table so the latter may be moved in a circular path around the red.

A locking device is employed to hold the table with either of its surfaces uppermost and in the present instance this device comprises a horizontally-movable operating rod, 17, having a bolt, 18, attached at its inner end, which bolt will register with one or the other of the perforations 35, in the plate, 13, no matter which surface of the table is uppermost. In Fig. 1 this bolt is shown in a position to engage the perforation above the rod, 14, while in Fig. 4, it is in position to engage the perforation below the said rod.

In order to produce the effects desired to-wit, quick transformations often desirable in vaudeville acts, I propose to attach to opposite sides of the reversible table, suitable devices differing materially in character so as to produce entirely different effects. The character of these devices may be varied to suit the sketch or act and the invention is not. to be limited or restricted in this respect, but in the present instance and merely for the sake of illustration I have mounted a sewing machine, 19, on one side of the table top as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 and on the opposite side of said table 1 have attached a typewriting machine, 20, as seen in Figs. 2, 4- and 5.

In order to operate the sewing machine, there being no trcadle or driving mechanism beneath the table, I provide a small motor, 21, which is connected to the pulley of the sewing-machine and which is operated by a current from a battery, 22, also carried by the table.

When the sewing machine, or other device attached to that side of the table, is to be displayed it is essential that both the chair and typewriting machine be concealed and in order to accomplish this successfully I provide a slip cover, 23, which will inclose the chair as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and to conceal the typmvriting machine I attach to one side or edge of the table a curtain, 24. The outer side, 25, of this curtain has painted thereon the outline oi a stand, 26, such as is commonly employed to support sewing ,machines so that when the sewing machine is in view the curtain, 24, will hang down from the table to the floor and thus hide the typewriting ma ch inc. The other edge or side of the table is provided with a curtain, 27, on which is painted the rep resentation of a. paneled surface, 28, such as is found in desks. It will he noted by reterence to Fig. 5, that the curtain, 27, is shorter than the curtain, 24', and the rear son for that is that when the typewriter is displayed the table has position below the rod, 1 1, and the distance from the table to the *tloor is less than when the table is above the rod as when the sewing machine is displayed, consequently the curtain to conceal the typewriter must be longer than the curtain to conceal the sewing ma.- chine.

In the operation ot' the device either the sewing machine act or the act employing the typewritiug machine will he produced first and the act in which the chair alone would be shown would he produced last. It the sewing machine act is produced first the chair seat is raised, the slip cover inserted over the back so as to entirely cover the chair while the curtain, 24, will hang down from the table and conceal the typewriting machine. When viewed by the audience both the typewriter and sewing machine will be displayed in end elevation as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When it is desired to change the device so as to display the typewriter the operator will simply actuate the rod, 17, thus withdrawing the bolt, 18, and then reverse or turn the table over. In doing this the curtain, 27, will he presented to the audience and the device will have the appearance of a typewriter mounted on a desk. Thus by simply reversing the table two different and complete effects are produced. In the third scene it is desired to present to the audience a chair and to effect this change or transformation the slip cover, 23, is tirst; withdrawn and thrown behind the scenes; the trip rod, 11, is operated to release the seat and the latter falls to a horizontal position and the entire device is revolved on the base, 1, so as to present the chair in front elevation to the audience as seen in Fig. 3. When in this position suitable drop curtains, 29, attached to the seat, as shown in Figs. 3 and t, but removed in F I tor illustrative purposes only, will hang down from the seat and conceal. the base.

While I have shown and described the device as comprising chair, sewing machine, and typewriting machine, it is obvious that some other article oi furniture may he revoluhly mounted on the base and substituted for the chair.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. The combination with a base, of a scenical device mounted on the base; a table supported at the rear of the scenical device and means for revolving" said devices with respect to the base.

2. The combination with a base, of a scenical device mounted on the base: a reversible table supported at the rear of the scenical device and devices of a contrasting character mounted on opposite sides oi the reversible table.

The combination with a base of: a chair back mounted on said base; a chair seat; and a table-top supported at the rear of the chair back.

i. The combination with a base, of a scenical device mounted on the base; a table supported at the rear of the scenical device: means for revolving said devices with respect to the base, and means to enable the table'top to be reversed and turned upside down.

The combination with a base, of a chair back mount ed on said base; a chair seat; a table at the rear of the chair back and curtains depending from said table.

ti. The combination with a base, of a chair back; a seat; means for revolubly mounting said back and seat on the base. and a tabletop summrted at the rear of said back.

7. The combination with a base, oi: a reversible table; devices of a contrasting character attached to opposite sides of the table. and a curtain depending from said table to conceal the device on the lowermost side thereof.

S. The combination with a base, of a scenical device mounted on said base; a reversible table sustained at the back 01 said scenical device and curtains of unequal lengths depending from said table.

9. The combination with a base, mounted on said base; a reversible table carried by the scenical device; means for revolving said device and table on the base. and devices of a contrasting character attached to opposite sides of the rev rsible table.

it). The combination with a base, of a scenical device mounted on the base; a reversible table secured to the rear of the scenical device means for permitting the revolution of said device and table with respect: to the base, and a cover for the scenical device.

11. The combination with a base, of a chair back mounted above the base; a seat pivoted with respect to the base: a reversible table at the rear of the back; means for permitting the back. seat and table to be lGVOlVEll with respect to the base and a cover for 'the back and seat.

12. The combination with a base, of a chair back sustained by the base; a seat; a reversible table attached to the rear of the back; means for permitting the back, seat and table to be revolved on the base; a cover for the back and seat, and curtains depending from the reversible table.

123. The combination with a base, of a chair back sustained by the base; a seat pivoted so as to be raised and lowered with respect to the back; a latch device to cone: with the seat; a reversible table attached to the back and devices of a contrasting character secnred to opposite sides 01 the table.

l-i. The combination with a base, of a chair back sus tained by the base; a seat; a rod sustained by and projecting rearwardly from the back; a reversible table sustained by the rod; curtains depending from the table, and devices of a contr ,tinscharacter secured to opposite sides of the reversible table.

In testimony whereof I athx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

of a sccnical device GEORGE SCHNEIDER.

\"itnesses (fins. B. MANN,

G. FERDINAND VOGT. 

